Wobble grip control



April 15, 1958 F, T, lRGENs 2,830,463

woBBLE GRIP CONTROL original Filed May 22, 195o will I, y

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A TraeNE V5 2,830,463 WOBBLE GRIP CONTROL Finn T. Irgens, Wauwatosa,

Wis., assigner to `Outboard Marine Corporation,

a corporation of Delaware Original application May 22, 1950, Serial No. 163,523, now Patent No. 2,651,296, datedl September 8, 1953. Digided and this application May 14, 1953, Serial No. 35 ,136

8 Claims. (Cl. 'I4-545) This invention relates to Vva -wobble grip control. rIt is particularly usefulfor in corporatiouu a tiller handle of an outboard motor or cation.

The device comprises, in the embodiments illustrated, a exible grip at the end of a lever which has one portion mounted on the lever and another portion mounted type of crank to be oscillatable or rotatable or wobbling motion for the rotation of a control element extending through the lever. The present application is a division of my application 163,523, entitled Control Devices, and tiled May 22, 1950, now Patent 2,651,296 granted September 8, 1953.

Fig. 1 is a view taken in section through the hand grip portion of a steering lever of an outboard motor, showing control device incorporated therein.

Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are viewssimilar to Fig. 1 showing modilied embodiments of the invention.

By way of exemplifying the type of control element which may be operated through the wobble grip mechanism herein disclosed, I have shown a conventional exible drive cable 84 rotatable within a sheath 85 mounted within the handle lever 12.

The shaft 84 has a positive connection at 91 with a crank 92 which, in the embodiment shown in Fig. l, comprises one portion 93 in axial alignment with the lever 12 and an obliquely extending portion 94 at an obtuse angle to portion 92. Portion 93 of the crank is journaled in a bushing 95 carried by the handle cap 96 at the end of lever 12. vThe oblique terminal portion 94 of crank 92 has a separate bearing in bushing 97 which is mounted in a handle extension 98 free of any direct positive connection with handle cap 96.

A tubular hand grip 105 of some resilient material such as rubber has an internal ange engaged in the :hannel 102 of the lever cap 96. The grip is ,sleeved ightly at 101 over the generally cylindrical portion of he handle cap beyond the groove and may be cemented hereto. It may also be cemented to the handle extenion 98. er 106 against which the end of the crank portion 94 Xially seats, and for the support of which the handle xtension 98 is shouldered.

To provide support for the flexible grip between the andle cap 96 and the handle extension 98, I desirably se a short length of helical spring 107 seated at its ids about reduced terminal portions of cap 96 and exnsion 98. p

Without in any manner relaxing control of `bodily ovement of the lever 12, an operator grasping the ip 105 can wobble or gyrate the free end portion thereabout the axis of crank portion 92, as has been ndited by the dotted line position of the free end portion the grip in Fig. 1. The gyratory movement of the ip will rotate the crank to communicate rotative move- :nt to the flexible shaft or cable 84 for the operation any remote parts. l

In the construction of Fig. 2, the terminal end porthe like but it has other appli- Its closed end is supported on a thrust mem-r Ice tions of the handle lever cap 96 and the handle extension 98 have terminal crown teeth 111 engaged at 112. Another vanation from the disclosure of Fig. 1 consists inthe substitution of spring rings 113 for the spring 107. These two features are `separate and either may bev used independently of the other. In this device, as -in the device of Fig. l, the rotation of the crank is achieved without any rotation of the grip. `The grip simply has a wobbling motion and the crank rotates within the grip.

The meshing crown gear teethdisclosed in Fig. 2 posiv tively preclude the handle extension 98 and grip 105 from rotating with respect to handle cap 96.

In the construction shown of the portion 92 of the crank.

Fig. 4 suggests how the handle extension 98 can have a ball and socket joined at 116 securing it for gyratory movement with respect to the handle cap portion 96. Here the thrust collar is located at at the end of the gyratory portion of the crank and a thrust cap at 120 supports the closedvends of the grip, being seated against a shoulder 124.

The construction of Fig. 5 shows an alternative form of crank at 121 beyond which the bushing 97 rotates within handle extension 98". The thrust cap 120' is similar to the thrust cap 120, and the handle cap 96'. is similar to the handle caps shown at 96 and 96 in previously described embodiments.

vgrip beyond said lever, the external diameter of the grip about said second shaft bearing Ibeing substantially the same as the external diameter of the grip about the rst shaft bearing, and separate adjustable means respectively connected to said shaft and to said lever for adjustment thereby.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the disaligned portions of the shaft are at an oblique angle with respect to each other.

3. The device of claim 1 in which the disaligned portions of the shaft are oiiset and connected by an intervening crank portion of said shaft.

4. The device of claim 1 in further combination with resilient means supporting said grip between the aforesaid bearings, said secondl shaft bearing being biased by said resilient means away from said lirst shaft bearing whereby to tension said grip therebetween.

ratory movement of said grip.

6. The device of claim 1 in further combination with shaft enchfclingmeansnmaintaining said bearings in spaced I relation, said means comprising, collars with which the respective bearings are engaged.

V7. A wobble grip control for a control handle, said handle `comprising .a tubular frame having a bore: and a borebearing` for a straight portion of a wobble shaft, a wobble shaft with a straightrportion receivable in said lbore `bearing [andhaving a wobble shaft extension terminated in spaced relationship to said frame in an anti-friction `bearing member; an anti-friction cap mounted upon saidantifriction bearing` member, and av tubular resilient kgrip member having a closed end to receive said anti-friction cap, `said tubular resilient grip being interengaged with said frame whereby to place said resilient grip in longitudinal tension in all positions of wobble motion of said wobble shaft,` said grip member and said tubular frame forming a continuous handle for ready manipulation for control of one` function by bodily mov'- ingsaid handle wobbling said wobble grip with respect to said frame.

and for control of another function `by 8. The gripI of of ,the wobble shaft bear against the frame and resilient grip.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Youngs Mar. 29, vLilburn June 17, Wagonhorst Nov. l1, Mould Sept. 8, Wahlberg July 28, Jensen May 31, Albert Jan. 30, lrgens Sept. 8,

FOREIGN PATENTS Denmark Mar. 27, Germany Nov. 24, Great Britain July 16,

'daim-1 wherein the straight portion is` provided with a `thrust bearing to resist the tension of said 

